Same Sun Here

Meena found out three days ago that Dadi has passed away. Meena’s cousin Anjali went to check on Dadi and found her on the floor with a fever. She took her a long distance to the hospital, and Dadi died in Anjali’s lap before the doctor even came to see her. Dadi’s death is hard on Meena’s family, especially because Meena’s parents and brother have not seen Dadi for nine years. Meena feels guilty because Dadi was always there for her when she needed her, but Meena wasn’t there for Dadi. One of the biggest things Meena learned from Dadi is the value of education. Dadi couldn’t go to school when she was young because she was a girl, and her father said she didn’t need to learn. When Dadi was older, she was cheated out of money because she didn’t know how to read or write. Because Dadi never had the chance to get a formal education, she encouraged Meena to be thankful for school and to work hard. Dadi always wanted to be a teacher, so Meena decides that she will be a teacher someday, rather than a poet, in honor of Dadi. 

Meena’s sadness over Dadi’s death turns into anger. She is angry with her parents for leaving India, angry that Dadi died at the hospital waiting to see a doctor, and angry that she didn’t call Anjali to check up on Dadi sooner when she didn’t get a letter from her. Meena keeps her watch set to India time and vows to never take it off.

Meena wants to be alone, but she feels like there’s no escape from people in the city. Kiku comes home to find her sitting on the closet floor in her sadness. He takes her to the subway station, and as the deafening train comes in, they scream as hard as they can. No one can hear them over the roar of the train, and they are able to release some of their anger and grief together.

River feels so sorry for Meena, and is praying for her. He’s not sure what else to say to comfort her, especially since he can’t imagine what it would be like to lose Mawmaw. He tells Meena she doesn’t have to choose between being a teacher or a poet—she can be both, just like River’s teacher Ms. Stidham. River thinks it’s good that Meena was able to let go of her anger with Kiku at the subway station, since anger can be good, but only temporarily. 

Meena worries that she might forget things about Dadi, and wants to remember everything she can, like how much Dadi loved the snow. She tells River about Drama Club at school that she joined. She has a friend from Drama Club named Carlos, who’s gay. Someone called him “faggot” too, just like Sam called River, and Carlos stood up for himself without being violent. She asks River if he would rather make out with a boy or a girl.

Meena explains rent control, since River asked about it in a previous letter. Decades ago, the city passed a law to protect tenants from landlords overcharging them. Now, landlords want rent-controlled tenants to leave, since their apartments will sell for a lot of money. This is why Mrs. Lau’s landlord refuses to make repairs on her apartment and others in the building, like Mrs. Lau’s neighbor Vanessa. Vanessa’s apartment has mold and exposed pipes, but the landlord won’t fix it. Instead, he called Child Protective Services to force her out of the building.

Meena reads material for the citizenship exam to help her father study. She still feels torn between loyalty to America versus India, where she grew up with Dadi. Even though Meena feels far from River, she realizes that the same sun shining in New York also shines in Kentucky.

River doesn’t like that Meena asked about who he would rather make out with. He wants to make a contract that he and Meena won’t ever talk about “stuff like this” (166) again, and calls Meena a “nymphomaniac” (166).

Meena is upset that River called her a name and stands up to him. Even so, she still wants to be his friend. She refuses to sign the contract and asks River to apologize for freaking out. 

River loses sleep worrying that Meena is mad at him, and he wants to go back to being friends. He apologizes for calling her a name.

Meena accepts River’s apology, but doesn’t feel like she needs to apologize for asking about who he would rather make out with. She promises to respect River’s wishes and avoid talking about kissing in the future. She also tells River that he is her “friend no matter what” (170).